Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a seri ...

and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s.

Early life

Born in

Halifax, West Yorkshire Halifax () is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is the commercial, cultural and administrative centre of the borough, and the headquarters of Calderdale Council. In the 15th cen ...

, Portman was the second son of Matthew Portman (1868–1939), a wool merchant, and his wife, Alice, née Harrison (1870–1918). His birth was registered with the middle name of Harold but he would later adopt his mother's maiden name as his middle name.

Education

He was educated at

Rishworth School Rishworth School is a co-educational independent school in the village of Rishworth, near Halifax, in West Yorkshire, England. With Heathfield, its junior school from the ages of 3 to 11, it provides education for pupils aged between 3 and 18 ...

in Yorkshire and, in 1922, started work as a salesman in the menswear department at the Marshall & Snelgrove department store in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popul ...

and acted in the amateur Halifax Light Opera Society.

Career

He made his professional stage debut in 1924 with Henry Baynton's company. In 1924, Robert Courtneidge's Shakespearian company arrived in Halifax. Portman joined the company as a 'passenger' and appeared in their production of ''Richard II'' at the Victoria Hall, Sunderland which led to Courtneidge giving him a contract. Portman made his West End debut at the Savoy Theatre in London, in September 1924, as Antipholous of Syracuse in ''The Comedy of Errors''. He was engaged by Lilian Baylis for the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

Company. In 1928, Portman played Romeo at the rebuilt Old Vic. He became a successful theatre actor. In 1933, Portman was in ''Diplomacy'' at the Prince's Theatre with

Gerald du Maurier Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier (26 March 1873 – 11 April 1934) was an English actor and manager. He was the son of author George du Maurier and his wife, Emma Wightwick, and the brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. In 1903, he ...

and

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

. In the 1930s, he began appearing in films, starting with an uncredited bit in '' The Girl from Maxim's'' (1933) directed by

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn'' with

Tod Slaughter Norman Carter Slaughter (19 March 1885 – 19 February 1956), also known as Tod Slaughter, was an English actor, best known for playing over-the-top maniacs in macabre film adaptations of Victorian melodramas. Early life Slaughter was born ...

. He also made ''

Hyde Park Corner Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to its major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was designed by Decimus Burton. Six streets converge at the ...

'' with Gordon Harker and directed by

Sinclair Hill Sinclair Hill (10 June 1896 – 6 March 1945) was a British film director, producer and screenwriter. He directed nearly fifty films between 1920 and 1939. He was born as George Sinclair-Hill in London in 1894. He was awarded an OBE for his ser ...

; ''

Old Roses ''Old Roses'' is a 1935 British crime film directed by Bernard Mainwaring and starring Horace Hodges, Nancy Burne and Bruce Lester. The screenplay concerns an elderly man who assists the police in solving a murder, but accidentally reveals hi ...

'' and '' Abdul the Damned''. In 1936 Portman had a stage hit playing Lord Byron in ''Bitter Harvest''. After '' Hearts of Humanity'' (1936), he played

Giuliano de' Medici Giuliano de' Medici (25 October 1453 – 26 April 1478) was the second son of Piero de' Medici (the Gouty) and Lucrezia Tornabuoni. As co-ruler of Florence, with his brother Lorenzo the Magnificent, he complemented his brother's image as the ...

in Hill's '' The Cardinal'' (1936). Portman made another film with Tod Slaughter, ''

The Crimes of Stephen Hawke ''The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' is a 1936 British historical melodrama film directed by George King and starring Tod Slaughter as the nefarious Stephen Hawke - who masquerades as the 'Spine-Breaker'. It also features Marjorie Taylor, D. J. Wi ...

'' (1936), and was in ''

Moonlight Sonata The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked ''Quasi una fantasia'', Op. 27, No. 2, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The popular name ''M ...

'' (1937). He went to the US and played in ''Madame Bovary'' on Broadway for the Theatre Guild of America. He also had a small role in ''

The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547 ...

'' (1937), but disliked Hollywood and did not stay long. He was back on Broadway in '' I Have Been Here Before'' by J. B. Priestley. Portman's last London stage show was ''Jeannie''. In the semi-autobiographical play ''Dinner with Ribbentrop'' by screenwriter

Norman Hudis Norman Hudis (27 July 1922 – 8 February 2016) was an English writer for film, theatre and television, and is most closely associated with the first six of the '' Carry On...'' film series, for which he wrote the screenplays until he was replace ...

, a former personal assistant to Portman, Hudis relates a claim made often by Portman that in 1937, before the start of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he had had dinner in London with

Joachim von Ribbentrop Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (; 30 April 1893 – 16 October 1946) was a German politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nazi Germany from 1938 to 1945. Ribbentrop first came to Adolf Hitler's not ...

(then the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

Ambassador to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

). Portman claimed that Ribbentrop had told him that "when Germany wins the war, Portman would be installed as the greatest English star in the New Europe" at a purpose-built film studio in Berlin. In 1941 he had his first important film role playing Lieutenant Hirth, a Nazi on the run, in

Powell and Pressburger The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell (1905–1990) and Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988)—together often known as The Archers, the name of their production company—made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. T ...

's '' 49th Parallel'', which was a big hit in the US and Britain. Portman was established as a star and signed a long-term contract with

Gainsborough Pictures Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, north London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The com ...

. Portman was in Powell and Pressburger's follow up, '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942), which reworked the story of ''The 49th Parallel'' to be about Allied pilots in occupied Holland. He played a Belgian resistance leader in '' Uncensored'' (1942) from director Anthony Asquith, and a German pilot in '' Squadron Leader X'' (1943) with director

Lance Comfort Lance Comfort (11 August 1908 – 25 August 1966) was an English film director. In a career spanning over 25 years, he became one of the most prolific film directors in Britain, though he never gained critical attention and remained on the ...

. Portman was a sailor in Asquith's ''

We Dive at Dawn ''We Dive at Dawn'' is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Fra ...

'' (1943) and a factory supervisor in ''

Millions Like Us ''Millions Like Us'' is a 1943 British propaganda film, showing life in a wartime aircraft factory in documentary detail. It starred Patricia Roc, Gordon Jackson, Anne Crawford, Eric Portman and Megs Jenkins. It was co-written and co-directed ...

'' (1943) from Launder and Gilliat. He was in another war story in Comfort's '' Escape to Danger'' (1943), then was back with Powell and Pressburger for ''

A Canterbury Tale ''A Canterbury Tale'' is a 1944 British film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger starring Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price and Sgt. John Sweet; Esmond Knight provided narration and played two small roles. For the post-war Americ ...

'' (1944). Portman had the lead in '' Great Day'' (1945) with Flora Robson and in the expensive colonial epic '' Men of Two Worlds'' (1946). In 1945, exhibitors voted him the 10th most popular star at the British box office. He maintained that ranking the following year. He made some thrillers – '' Wanted for Murder'' (1947), '' Dear Murderer'' (1947) and '' The Mark of Cain'' (1947). He was a hangman in '' Daybreak'' (1948), then made ''

Corridor of Mirrors ''Corridor of Mirrors'' is Prometheus's (Benji Vaughan Benjamin Vaughan, better known as Benji Vaughan, is a British psychedelic trance musician and tech entrepreneur. He has released music under many names, of which most well known is his sol ...

'' (1948) and '' The Blind Goddess'' (1948). He made two films for the new producing team of Maxwell Setton and Aubrey Baring, '' The Spider and the Fly'' (1949) and ''

Cairo Road Cairo Road is the main thoroughfare of Lusaka, Zambia and the principal business, retail and service centre of the city. It is a section of the T2 road and was so named because it is a link in Cecil Rhodes' then dream of a Cape to Cairo Road ...

'' (1950). Portman was one of many names in ''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier. ...

'' (1951) and then made an Ealing comedy, ''

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the ri ...

'' (1952), playing a trade unionist who becomes Governor of a British colony. For Baring and Setton, he made '' South of Algiers'' (1953) then had a big hit on stage in Terence Rattigan's '' Separate Tables'' and on film in ''

The Colditz Story ''The Colditz Story'' is a 1955 British prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton. It is based on the 1952 memoir written by Pat Reid, a British army officer who was imprisoned in Oflag IV-C, Coldit ...

'' (1955). Portman had a supporting part in '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1955) and '' Child in the House'' (1956). He had the lead in ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established him as a national figure. It won ...

'' (1957). He played the bogus Major in

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's play '' Separate Tables'' in 1956–57 on Broadway. For this performance, he was nominated for a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

(Best Actor (Dramatic)). In 1958 he appeared on Broadway in a short-lived production of ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' as Rochester. Portman had better luck the following year in a production of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earli ...

's ''

A Touch of the Poet ''A Touch of the Poet'' is a play by Eugene O'Neill completed in 1942 but not performed until 1958, after his death. It and its sequel, '' More Stately Mansions'', were intended to be part of a nine-play cycle entitled ''A Tale of Possessors S ...

'', which had a long run. In contrast, '' Flowering Cherry'' by Robert Bolt, with Portman in the title role, only lasted five performances on Broadway. Later film roles included in ''

The Naked Edge ''The Naked Edge'' is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper (in his final film role) and Deborah Kerr. The film was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass an ...

'' (1961), '' Freud: The Secret Passion'' (1962), '' West 11'' (1963), ''

The Man Who Finally Died ''The Man Who Finally Died '' is a 1963 British CinemaScope thriller film directed by Quentin Lawrence and starring Stanley Baker, Peter Cushing, Mai Zetterling and Eric Portman. It was based on a 1959 ITV series of the same name. The screenpl ...

'' (1963), '' The Bedford Incident'' (1965), and '' The Spy with a Cold Nose'' (1966). In 1962 Portman was in a stage adaptation of ''

A Passage to India ''A Passage to India'' is a 1924 novel by English author E. M. Forster set against the backdrop of the British Raj and the Indian independence movement in the 1920s. It was selected as one of the 100 great works of 20th century English liter ...

'' that ran for 109 performances on Broadway. Near the end of his life he played character roles including Number Two in the TV series ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'', appearing in the episode "Free For All" (1967), as well as films including '' The Whisperers'' (1967) and '' Deadfall'' (1968), both for director

Bryan Forbes Bryan Forbes CBE (; born John Theobald Clarke; 22 July 1926 – 8 May 2013) was an English film director, screenwriter, film producer, actor and novelist described as a "Renaissance man"Falk Q. . BAFTA. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2013 and ...

. His final film was ''

Assignment to Kill ''Assignment to Kill'' is a 1968 American drama film in Technicolor and Panavision, directed by Sheldon Reynolds and starring Patrick O'Neal, Joan Hackett, John Gielgud, Herbert Lom, and Oskar Homolka. Plot A private detective is hired by an i ...

'' (1968).

Personal life

Portman was homosexual, although newspapers never reported this during the mid-1950s when homosexuality was illegal in the UK. Newspapers refrained from identifying his sexuality throughout the 1960s when it could still have damaged his career. His partner was actor Knox Laing. In the early 1920s he was an amateur in Halifax Light Opera. While there he was romantically involved with Eliza Jane Thornton, his leading lady. After appearing in ''The Silver Box'' together, they both went to London to work professionally, though eventually Thornton returned to Halifax.

Death

Portman died at age 68 at his home in St Veep,

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...

on 7 December 1969 from

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...

. He was buried in St. Veep parish church.

Honours

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term ...

was erected by the

Halifax Civic Trust Halifax commonly refers to: *Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada *Halifax, West Yorkshire, England *Halifax (bank), a British bank Halifax may also refer to: Places Australia * Halifax, Queensland, a coastal town in the Shire of Hinchinbrook *Halifax ...

Complete filmography

* '' The Girl from Maxim's'' (1933) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1935) * '' Abdul the Damned'' (1935) * ''

'' (1935) * '' Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn'' (1935) * '' The Cardinal'' (1936) * ''

'' (1936) * '' Hearts of Humanity'' (1936) * ''

'' (1937) * ''

'' (1937) * '' The Singing Marine'' (1937) (uncredited) * ''The Constant Nymph'' (1938 TV film) (uncredited) * ''A Hundred Years Old'' (1938 TV film) * ''The Rivals'' (1938 TV film) * ''The Gamblers'' (1939 TV film) * ''She Stoops to Conquer'' (1939 TV film) * ''A Night at the Hardcastles'' (1939 TV film) * ''The Pelican'' (1939 TV film) * '' 49th Parallel'' (1941) * '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942) * '' Uncensored'' (1942) * '' Squadron Leader X'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * '' Escape to Danger'' (1943) * ''

'' (1944) * '' Great Day'' (1945) * '' Wanted for Murder'' (1946) * '' Men of Two Worlds'' (1946) * '' Dear Murderer'' (1947) * '' The Mark of Cain'' (1947) * ''

'' (1948) * '' Daybreak'' (1948) * '' The Blind Goddess'' (1948) * '' The Spider and the Fly'' (1949) * ''

'' (1950) * ''

'' (1951) * ''

'' (1952) * '' South of Algiers'' ( ''The Golden Mask'', 1953) * ''

'' (1955) * '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1955) * '' Child in the House'' (1956) * ''

'' (1957) * ''

'' (1961) * '' Freud: The Secret Passion'' (1962) * ''August for the People'' (1963 TV film) * '' West 11'' (1963) * ''

'' (1963) * '' The Bedford Incident'' (1965) * '' The Spy with a Cold Nose'' (1966) * '' The Whisperers'' (1967) * ''The Crossfire'' (1967) * ''

'' (1968) * '' Deadfall'' (1968)

References

Bibliography

* Owens, Andy. ''Our Eric: A Portrait of Eric Portman''. England, Sigma Press, October 2013.

External links

* *
Performances in Theatre Archive University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portman, Eric 1901 births 1969 deaths English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Actors from Halifax, West Yorkshire Male actors from Yorkshire English gay actors 20th-century English male actors 20th-century LGBT people